Where I Belong
by Swissalo
Summary: Finding him was the Will of the Force, if only they knew what else it wanted to do with him.
1. Prologue

**Where I Belong**

**By**: Swissalo

**Prologue**

xXx

On a plain street, in an equally plain neighborhood a man sat patiently in a large tree. Having been drawn to this planet and this location for reasons unknown. If he could he would have left, but something had called him here and here he would stay until he found his answers. Studying his surroundings once more he noticed how everything was the same each house identical to one another, even their land vehicles were the same. During his first survey of his location he'd noticed a grey cat lurking around, but had thought nothing of it. But the cat was drawn to one house in particular, just like he was. The feline had been nothing but persistent in it's study of the house and the humans inside it. More so than a normal cat, he could tell, normal animals go where they are wanted but this feline kept returning to a house where it wasn't. It was during his study of the neighborhood that he noticed that the street was suddenly getting darker. Moving slightly he watched from his perch as the lights on the street were suddenly extinguished one by one. With the new darkness he watched as an old man, dressed in robes of purple and with long white hair and beard, appear. He drew back further cloaking his presence as the man approached the grey cat who'd been perched on a stone fence some ways from the house.

To anyone else, it would have been a surprise to see the cat suddenly transform back into a human. But nothing surprised him anymore, and it explained why the being was so persistent with the one house. The reason, however, remained to be seen. It was the sudden sound of a motor that caused him to shift slightly in the tree, the two on the street didn't seem worried at being discovered so he assumed it was one of their own. Watching as a large man rode in on a flying speeder of some sort, he looked at the older pair they were having a disagreement of some sort though it appeared that the woman was losing the battle. Hearing the blubbering coming from the large man, he shifted trying to see what the man was holding so closely. The large man didn't seem to have any desire to hand the bundle over but finally gave in to the older man. It was times like this when he wished he'd had better hearing, just to understand what was really going on. He watched as the older man ran a hand over the bundle before walking up to the very house the cat woman had been studying all day. Laying the bundle down the old man walked back to his companions and watched silently as they both left. It was then that the old man lifted something that allowed the lights to come back on one by one.

Watching the sorcery take place below him, he waited to see what the old man would do. It was with a nearly silent pop that the older man vanished from the street, leaving the bundle on the stoop in front of the door as if it was nothing. Sitting in the tree for a while longer he waited to see if anyone would return, when none did, he jumped from his vantage point. Robes swirling around him as he landed silently on the ground, those people were completely unaware of their surroundings. Looking around the neighborhood he walked over to the door, the feeling of urgency that he'd been feeling for months now drawing him in like a moth to a flame. It guided his actions, letting him know that the choice he made would be the right one regardless of what anyone else thought. There was a destiny here, something far more important and so completely clouded that it was a wonder he could tell this was right.

Looking down a the bundle on the stoop, he bristled the only show of emotion on his person as he bent to pull the blankets away. Looking at the dark haired youngling that lay in the blankets he growled lightly as the pull intensified, only relaxing once the youngling was enclosed safely in his arms. Whoever these people where, they didn't seem to care about the safety of the youngling they had left or else they would have realized that leaving a child in the cold was anything but smart. Feeling something crumple under his hand he pulled a note from the confines of the blanket. A note of explanation, but common decency should have stated that they ask in person instead of abandoning a youngling without knowing if the residence were even willing.

Standing with his back to the house, Jedi Knight Mace Windu stared down at the youngling, the little one was strong in the Force. Studying the sleeping youngling he gazed over the tufts of black hair that covered an angry jagged scar, from it radiated darkness. Only a small blip on the brightness of the youngling's pure Force presence, a trip to the healers would have that darkness removed with relative ease. Pushing a bit of the Force to the wound, he felt the darkness wane slightly at the pureness of the Force, healing the wound. The youngling shifted slightly but did not wake, wrapping his robes securely around this tiny bundle, Mace spared a glance at the house before walking out into the street. He had been pulled to this planet by the Force for this very reason; he was meant to take this youngling back to the Temple with him to be trained in the ways of the Jedi. Making his way to the field where he'd left his ship, Mace felt the approval of the Force as he boarded the ship.


	2. Chapter 1

**Where I Belong**

**By:** Swissalo

**Chapter 1**

xXx

With a view port that shown with stars, Mace Windu could only stare at the tiny creature that rested peacefully in his lap. This trip had become so much more than anything he had ever expected. He had set out on a mission of his own volition, having been plagued with visions of an unknown blue-green planet. He had gone before the Council, told the Masters about how something had been calling to him, the Force had been sending him visions of something, a planet, a location completely foreign to any data base. Weeks had been spent in the Archives trying to locate any planet that could match the one that haunted his dreams. He'd found similar ones, Naboo, Endor, Chandrila, and Alderaan but the Force pushed those possibilities away, none of those planets were the one he searched for. He'd been driving the Archivists crazy, he was sure, but the Force seemed to be getting desperate the pressure to find this wayward planet bearing down on him even in his waking moments.

In the end he had turned to Master Yoda for assistance, he was sure there was something he had been missing. Going through all of the data he'd collected and the location that the Force seemed to want him to go towards, far out past even the reaches of Wild Space. It was during his this time that Master Yoda surprised him, pointing towards a small system several light years from Kalee. He could feel the approval in the Force, it hummed happily at him, turning to Yoda Mace could see the little master was also feeling the righteousness that the Force felt at their discovery.

"To this planet, discover your answers, you shall." Master Yoda had commanded, and discover his answers he had. Although not in the way he thought he would.

xXx

Now though none of that mattered, none of the whys mattered. He'd gone to the third planet from that sun system and landed in the Northern Hemisphere, had sat and waited in a tree. All for the tiny figure that was laying against him, completely trusting the older man to protect him. The youngling had only woken from his slumber after they had left the planet, a painful shrieking wail had left the boy as tiny fingers dug at the scar on his forehead, leaving red welts to decorate his crown as little fingers seemed to try and rip the scar from his brow. Mace had immediately began to push the Force at the wound in an attempt to sooth, the darkness he had sensed earlier almost appeared to be running from the boy, trying desperately to escape its confines. It was almost as if the distance from the planet was causing the parasite to weaken, die. Opening his senses to the Force, Mace narrowed his focus on the wound, it was similar to a Force Wound in its creation. However, it was covered in the Dark Side, its mere presence caused the Force to react in ways uncommon, the Force itself was trying to push the presence from her newest charge. The child's own inner strength aiding the Force in a way to protect its vessel from the darkness that had invaded. The only thing he could do was add his own determination to this act, helping the child and the Force remove this entity from the child before it's grip on his psyche became permanent. It was several hours of deep concentration but as soon as they left the system, as soon as the last planet was light years behind them was the entity almost gone. Mace could visualize its black tethers getting weaker, stretching thinner as the distance from the planet became greater and the Force continued to pulse with the boy's rapidly beating heart. It was one last wounded howl from the boy, a final blast of Force power, amplified by the Force herself, that caused a black cloud to fizzled over the boy's brow before disappearing with an inhuman yowl. The wail from the destroyed entity had deafened the cockpit, bring Mace out from his meditative state which he had fallen into to assist the child and Force against the entity.

The boy wailed in pain, his mind had been bruised as the deep reaching claws had been destroyed unsettling his young mind. It was only the soothing presence of the Force that let him know that this would not damage the child. He could almost make out the vision of a laughing black haired child diving into the Temple Lake with a ginger haired boy. It was enough to let him know that these actions, however unconscious as they had been, would have no long term long lasting affects. The shutters that ran through the child's body caused Mace to shift in his seat before he drew the child closer to him. Little fingers grasped his tunic tightly, eyes screwed shut tightly, almost as though the child was trying to force himself to beat the pain back. Mace couldn't decide if that would be an endearing quality or not as the child grew older. Waving a hand over the seizing body, Mace was able to settle the boy into a Force induced sleep. Though it didn't cause him or the youngling to relax. It was going to be a long trip, with answers he wasn't sure he could answer awaiting him back at the Temple.

xXx

It was early morning when his ship broke through the atmosphere of Coursaunt, the sun was just beginning to appear on the horizon lighting the sky in a ombre of orange and blue. Sunrise was his favorite time of day, when everything was still still from the night, when the only thing that would be heard was that waterfalls in the gardens and the ever present hum of the passing air cars. Now though it was full of tiny giggles as the youngling strapped into the co-pilots chair played with the purple dragon that had been wrapped up in the folds of the blanket. Mace had only stare blankly at the stuffed toy, if it wasn't for the fact that he could feel no living presence in the thing he would swear it was alive. The tiny dragon when in the boy's hand growled, flew, and chipped, in his hand it was as lifeless as any other stuffed toy. Turning his attention back onto the controls, Mace tried to zone out the babble coming from the child, it wouldn't do to have come all this way only to crash the ship before even getting to the Temple.

Landing the ship in the hanger, Mace stared out at the grounds for a moment, just taking in the feeling of the Living Force after having been surrounded by the dull echoes of the Force while traveling. Turning to the boy, Mace watched as the child stilled, his green eyes taking in everything he could see from his limited view the purple dragon lay quiet in his grasp. Moving towards the little boy, Mace unstrapped him from the chair and helped steady the child as they walked towards the back of the ship. There was a certain calmness to the pair as they descended. The boy was surprisingly steady on his feet, as they came to the loading ramp, toddling down with only Mace's hand to keep him from falling. Around the large hanger the mechanics worked quietly on their assignments, some mechadroids whirled around the bay assisting where needed. A few of the mechanics, Mace could see, were studying the child that was walking through the bay with all the curiosity of a small kitten. It was only his hand in Mace's that kept him from wandering off in this new playground of dangers.

He needed to take the boy to the healers and make sure that the entity was completely gone from the boy's psyche. Get him updated on all of the necessary boosters, settle the child into the crèche and then request audience with the Council Masters. Thinking about it, he was surprised that Master Yoda hadn't sought him out when he had landed but the old master had his own pace on which things were accomplished.

xXx

Mace Windu was know through the Temple as a man who didn't coddle anyone, it was well known that he didn't suffer fools. All that was shattered by the toddler giggling in his grasp. A trip to the healers had brought wails that competed with that of the Avril bird from Yavin 8. The injections had caused teary green eyes to turn on him with a look of toddler betrayal. The only comfort that the trip had brought was that the entity was completely gone from the child, a Parasite of a Soul, the healer had said. From the darkest of the Force, a modified version of the Sith's Essence Transfer, Healer Ty Rea had surmised based on its reaction to the distance from its home planet. Ty Rea had given him the honor of presenting that information to the Council, Mace could only see himself informing Master Yoda of the Sith that had attacked the child.

Glancing around the initiate wing, Mace could see Docent Vant at the end of the corridor collecting supplies from one of the closets. Striding down the hall towards the Twi'lek woman, Mace studied his little charge, from here on out he'd only see the boy in passing. His duty as caregiver over, he'd return to his normal duties going on missions for the Council.

"Hello Knight Windu, what brings you here?" Docent Vant asked as she finished stacking a few items on a nearby cart.

"I have a new youngling for the group." Mace responded as he placed the boy down. Green eyes stared around in wonder, completely fearless, though he didn't wander away.

"I see, a joyous occasion then." Docent Vant smiled as she studied the young boy, a curious youngster, and a handful she could sense as she watched the child take in his surroundings.

Mace could only nod as the Twi'lek reached a hand out to the boy. The child took it, only after a slight bit of hesitation and smiled up at the blue skinned woman. Docent Vant smiled back as she began to pull the child away. Most children became attached to the Jedi that brought them in and it was harder to settle them when the Jedi left if they weren't otherwise occupied. Taking him to a group of blocks, she settled the boy down before returning to Mace. The young knight was watching the boy intently as the toddler played with the blocks, building and destroying. Soon he'd be using the Force instead of his hands to do the same thing. Docent Vant could only smile softly, sensing the connection between these two, it would be interesting to watch.

"Before you leave, Knight Windu, a name for the child."

"Hadrian Potter."


	3. Chapter 2

**Where I Belong**

**By**: Swissalo

**Chapter 2**

xXx

As it turned out Mace didn't have to stand before the whole Council, his trip had been turned into a simple run to collect a Force-Sensitive child while he was away. Apparently Master Yoda saw more than he let on, but it made keeping certain things quiet much easier, as he felt it prudent to keep the entity's dead presence to a small number of people. Healer Ty Rea had not put the information in Hadrian's file, entering nothing of the mind checks he had done on the child. Not a normal procedure, but they felt it in the currents of the Force that that information was best kept hidden. Standing on one of the upper level balconies, Mace stared out at the city waiting for Master Yoda. His old Master would find him now that this mornings events were over.

"Answers you have found?" Master Yoda asked as he walked onto the balcony, his grimmer stick clicked on the stone floor as he made his way towards his old Padawan.

"Yes." Mace answered as he turned to face Master Yoda. The Grand Master just stared quietly at his old apprentice, waiting for him to continue. "The Visions were centered around a human boy."

"Brought him here you did." Yoda questioned, knowing the answers but wanting the conformation to come from Mace's words. This child had been the cause of long meditation and search, special the boy was, watched he would be, Yoda thought as he studied Mace.

"The Force would have me do nothing else. The pressure to bring him here, the Force only seemed to calm once he was in my grasp, it felt content once we were on the ship." Mace answered as he sat on one of the benches, making this meeting slightly more informal. Less likely to draw any wandering eyes as passing Jedi would see only a former Master and Padawan speaking and not think anything else.

"Unknown this planet was, you were able to locate the child easily?" Master Yoda asked as he studied the young Jedi across from him. Mace could appear unaffected by this all on the outside, but the Master knew his old apprentice hadn't come away from this trip settled.

"The pull led me to a dwelling while there, though the reason didn't appear until later in the night. As I was observing the house that night, a shape shifter, older man and a large being all appeared. All three were Force Users and clearly upset about something though the shape shifter and large being were more visible upset than the older man. A bundle was giving to the man who placed it on the stoop of the house I had been drawn to. Once they left I approached the house, they had left the youngling with only a note asking the occupants to take in the child as his parents had been killed." Mace summarized his trip to the blue-green planet that had haunted him. Watching his Master, he could tell of Yoda's displeasure at the injustice, his ears pinned back as he listened to the treatment the child had received. Children were cherished in the Order, the future of the galaxy was in their hands to help mold. The youngling had been orphaned by one set of circumstances and abandoned to the cold by another.

"Inform them they did not?" Yoda asked as he studied the horizon, possibilities streaming through his head none of them good.

"They themselves stayed a while before leaving and I waited some time after that before approaching the house. The occupants of the house never woke." Mace answered as he thought back on the bundle that had slept through his delivery and abandonment.

"This note you have?" Yoda asked hoping to gleam more information about this newest puzzle. Mace nodded before pulling the missive from his pocket, the material rough in his grasp. Handing the letter to Yoda, Mace turned to study the landscape, giving the Master time to read the thing for himself. The letter would be important in the future, he knew, turning back to Yoda he watched as the wizened master ran a clawed hand over the page.

"A deception that was to get them to take the child." Yoda murmured as his eyes narrowed in thought, running his hand over signature at the bottom of the sheet. His onyx eyes studying the words intently, "Though partly in truth."

Mace stood quietly, trying to think back to anything else that he had remembered about his trip. There had been several odd happenings that he had explained away as a different culture, he wasn't to know how or what they as a people celebrated or why. To him nothing had been any odder than any other celebration he had ever attended.

"Will of the Force it was to find this youngling. Watch him we shall." Yoda decided as he handed the missive back to Mace, the dark-skinned male could only nod as he pocketed the letter. "More you have."

"There was an entity in the child, it first felt like just a bit of darkness. I eased it with the help of the Force before leaving the planet, it had receded. It's grasp on the boy didn't seem deep, I presumed that it was something that could wait until we returned to the Temple. But once orbit was broken the thing tried to escape, it didn't want to leave the planet. The Force itself worked to over come it and destroy it." Mace spoke lowly, his gravel voice barely loud enough to be heard over the passing aircars. That initial moment when the boy had screamed would stay with him for a long time, he never wanted to hear another child scream in such agony again.

"Gone the entity is?" Yoda asked leaning forward, his elfin ears cocked forward in curiosity, always learning Yoda was.

"Yes Master, I felt no more darkness after that. Healer Ty Rea checked the boy himself and found no traces of the entity in the child. He was able to see fleeting images of what had happened through the boy's mind and confirm them with my memory of the incident. A variated version of Essence Transfer, he believes that the thing was planted to grow with the child instead of completely enforce it's will, turning him slowly." Mace could only hope that that was the case, he didn't want to think that the boy would be doomed to fall just because of a corrupted parasite. He too would be watching the boy, no matter that he was in the care of the crèche masters he'd found the boy and brought him here.

xXx

Down in the crèche Docent Vant was slowly introducing the newest initiate to his closest age mates, there were few of his age within her clan at the moment as most were older initiates. Glancing around the playroom she led Hadrian towards the back of the activities room where the only boy closest to his age was playing with one of the older clan members. The fair-haired child had been here for about a year before Hadrian had been brought in and she hoped that the two would form a friendship on the off-chance that no other younglings were brought to her clan in the coming months.

"Good morning, Mel." Docent Vant greeted the older girl, Vant could already see the makings of a crèche master in the girl as she was always caring for the younglings, helping them without interfering with their own growth in the ways of the Force. It was refreshing to see such caring in the girl, when most of the other younglings were more interested in becoming a Jedi who would go out into the universe, very rarely did any of them want to stay in the Temple. Watching Mel coax the other boy into building a tower with his hands as well as his Force powers. Vant watched as the smaller blocks would lift under the boy's direction, he was almost ready to move up to a more difficult set of toys.

"Good morning Master Vant." Mel responded with a smile before handing one of the blocks to the youngling she was working with. Her bring purple eyes locked on the child with Docent Vant before moving to watch the Master.

"I was hoping that you could help Hadrian with his activities, allow him to work with Garen here." Docent Vant requested as she helped Hadrian to sit beside the fair-haired boy. The two toddlers looked at one another for a moment before Garen thruster a block at Hadrian, the green eyes boy only stared at the object before turning to look at his surroundings. Docent Vant smiled as she placed a hand on his head before walking off to make sure that the rest of her group were ready to meet the day. She knew that at some point Hadrian would make friends, and come to enjoy their company. But for now the dark-haired boy was trying to feel out his surroundings, but unlike many new initiates who would cry for the life that they had lost he was as silent as ever. It must have something to do with the fact that he'd been traveling with Mace for so long before coming to the Temple, she'd have to get into contact with Mace to find out more on the boy. Though she couldn't wait to see what personality appeared once the child was settled, it was always a wonderful feeling when the younglings became comfortable enough with their new surroundings to act normal.

xXx

AN: I am greatly pleased with all the wonderful responses this story had gotten. I'm trying not to put many author notes in my stories, I feel now that they take away from the work itself. But you deserve to know that I appreciate the time you have taken to read and review my story. - Swissalo


	4. Chapter 3

**Where I Belong  
****By**: Swissalo  
**Chapter 3**

xXx

Jedi Master Reg Briggs paced between the six-year-old initiates as he observed their attempts to keep a ball afloat with the Force. A few were only able to get the ball to float a few inches from the ground while others; his giggling group of three, were able to manage about a foot or two. Staring at the three boys who were able to complete the assignment he dropped three large rocks at the feet of the boys. Of the trio only green and blue eyes stared at him in glee, the terrible twosome, Hadrian Potter and Obi-Wan Kenobi. If only the boys weren't so gifted in their usage of the Force; then maybe they wouldn't get by with as much. Many harmless pranks and jokes were thought up by that pair along with Garen Muln who was even more free-spirited than the two before him. Though the boys did seem to feed off each others accomplishments, in a healthy competition, neither ever out doing the other. It was something that was missing in the Order, where most Jedi worked alone and liked it, sentient creatures were not created for solitary lives. Beings needed more than just basic interaction to survive and thrive; he really hoped that this little group was able to stay together.

Watching the balls slowly drop to the ground, Briggs could tell that they were tempted to just let them drop and bounce. Something he too, would have done as a youngling, but they were mindful of their classmates. Glancing between the boys he watched the silent conversation being had as they seemed to be daring each other to complete their new mission first. He was going to have to move them to another class, with as advanced as their control was.

"I want to see progress boys." Briggs told them as he walked towards the front of the class, going over to Bruck who was having difficulty maintaining a steady altitude with his ball. The thing would fluctuate every few minutes outside of the normal ranges. He was going to have to request extra time with this one, the boy was too hard on himself. Placing his hand on the boy's shoulder he felt the child's fluctuating emotions as he tried to keep up with the class. He wanted to keep up with the other boys wanted to be the best that there was. It wasn't somethings Briggs could at this time see as a bad thing; he just needed to help Bruck the child was trying to force the Force into action rather than ask for the manipulation to happen.

X

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Obi-Wan asked as he stared at Hadrian, his friend was currently poking one of the rocks Master Briggs had set before them. The green-eyed boy just looked up at Obi-Wan from his seated position and sighed nosily as he turned back to the grey rock before him. Lifting the thing up to get a feel for its weight, he dropped the rock before closing his eyes.

"I'm studying it." Hadrian muttered while Obi-Wan and Reeft rolled their eyes, they should be use to their friend's odd responses to any of his actions.

"Why?" Reeft asked as he stared at the boy next to him, he'd known Hadrian the longest out of their group, but he certainly didn't understand him. Glancing over at Obi-Wan he watched as the other boy just shook his head before turning his attention back to Hadrian. Reeft only sighed before peering around the room watching as his peers attempted to keep their balls afloat on the currents of the Force. He was happy to have such a supportive group of friends who made sure he didn't fall behind in his studies. Looking around the room he watched as Master Briggs assisted Bruck with his control before turning back to his assignment.

"Know thy enemy." Hadrian responded as he put his hand over the rock and began to manipulate the Force around the rock requesting that it would lift the rock to his palm. The thing responded by rocking back and forth for a moment but did nothing else.

"Further than anything we got." Obi-Wan replied as he watched the rock finish moving, receiving a glare from Hadrian as the dark-haired boy jumped up from his seated position on the floor to stand before his friends. The chime was going to sound, releasing them from their Force training class for the hour, it would be lunch followed by a group meditation.

"So what's the progress boys?" Master Briggs asked as he walked up to the boys after finishing the lesson for the rest of the initiates, watching the three chatter on as their rocks sat lifelessly on the floor he wordlessly floated the rocks to the back table. Eyes followed the movement before turning back to their instructor.

"Not a thing." Hadrian responded as he gathered his supplies just as the chime rang signifying that class was over, Master Briggs just watched the boys leave he'd seen Hadrian move the rock, but it certainly didn't baffled him that the boy would claim he'd done nothing. The boy was nothing but stubborn, he'd never claim to be better than the worst response of the group. Though moving a rock at his age was a significant feat as most younglings didn't have the control necessary to even manage shaking it. Studying the empty room for a moment, Briggs walked out the door after the last of his students making sure that there were no scuffles in the hall as the different clans merged together in one mass blob of hungry children.

xXx

"I can't believe you lied to a Master." Obi-Wan hissed as he followed after Hadrian to the meditation gardens where their clan took their group meditation. The pair was alone as Reeft had stayed behind with Garen and Bant trying to mooch some food off the other two before lunch was over.

"I didn't lie." Hadrian responded as he turned to face Obi-Wan, his friend was such a stickler for honesty. "Nothing really happened, who's to say I even moved the rock. It could have been something or someone else. Until I get it off the floor nothing happened."

Obi-Wan just stared at Hadrian for a moment before nodding, he'd get nothing out of his friend, the walking contradiction as some of the older padawan's liked to call him when they came in for crèche duty. Not that they really understood why a lot of them said that, and they certainly weren't going to ask anyone lest they get laughed at. Walking into the mediation garden they bowed to Docent Vant before going off to their normal spots: Hadrian by the windows facing the city and Obi-Wan next to a small crystal fountain, they knew better than to even attempt to sit by one another. Both sat waiting for the rest of their clan to enter the room, while settling into the flows of the Living Force that ran through the room.

Settling on one of the meditation mats Hadrian stared out at the city, watching as the speeders and freighters zoomed through the sky lanes. The sight of the vehicles was something that always calmed him, bring back feelings of his life before the Temple and the Jedi. They were only impressions of memories as he had been to young to truly recall anything from his life before. But watching the vehicles fly across the city's skyline before him; he'd flown before, on something like a speeder though it made a lot more noise from its motor than any speeder he'd ever heard. It wasn't good to dwell on the past, Master Yoda always said, just be mindful of the future and not to ignore the now. Hearing the wind chimes Hadrian focused on the tings of the bars as he sunk into a light meditation; focus, clear his mind of external noise, release all thought and then just float in the power of the Force. It was the same technique he used to fall asleep with, so he had to be mindful to not go to deep although he failed at that more than he succeeded something most young initiates did. He could feel the currents of the Force around him, a gentle hand something he'd grown to love and respect for it was always there something he could always turn to when he couldn't go to someone else.

xXx

"What's this? Getting move up in Force Study?" Garen asked as he plopped down next to his friends after spending all day in one of the training salles. Tired eyes looked at him in contempt before Obi-Wan propped himself up to look over at Garen, he was after all closer to the other boy than the rest of the group.

"What are you talking about? We haven't even lifted the rocks up yet." Obi-Wan fired back, he wasn't ready for any games that Garen might want to play. He was tired and sore after taking a through beating from Bruck Chun during their physical training. He wasn't sure how he was going to move for the rest of the night, he wasn't sure he liked this odd man out number in their group of friends.

"That's when you know you're getting moved up, when Briggs gives you a rock. It's his way of testing eligibility to move to the advanced classes." Garen explained as he studied the trio beside him. He wasn't sure why they weren't excited to be advancing to the harder Force Training classes, where instead of practicing on inanimate objects they were allowed to practice on a droid. It was the beginning of battle training, for when negotiations failed.

"Does he know what he's getting into?" Reeft asked as he sat up, looking over at Garen before glancing over at Hadrian who was being oddly silent throughout this conversation. He didn't think he'd hit him that hard earlier while they were training, Hadrian hadn't called for the match to end.

"You alive over there Hadrian?" Garen asked as he followed Reeft's gaze to the still boy. His arrival usually always got the other boy to react, normally coming up with an idea for a prank or joke or at least some sarcastic quip. Hadrian only rolled his eyes in response before turning his head to look over at his friends, rubbing his hand over his face while pointing one finger in the direction of their eavesdropper. The others looked in the direction indicated watched as Bruck Chun stormed out the room with Aalto following after him.

"You have uncanny senses." Garen told him as he stared at the other boy, Hadrian only shrugged his shoulders before standing up, his gaze stormy as he looked at the door that Bruck had walked out. He wasn't sure what to make of Bruck, except that for whatever reason his instincts screamed that the boy wasn't friend. He'd relied on those instincts for so long, and had been encouraged by Master Yoda to keep honing them. That they'd help him in the long run when he was older.

"We've never gotten along." Hadrian muttered as he gathered his outer robes from one of the benches, the next clan was going to be coming in soon and he wasn't in any mood to be scolded at by Docent Altrez.


	5. Chapter 4

**Where I Belong  
****By**: Swissalo  
**Chapter 4**

**AN: **sorry for the wait it took to get this chapter out. Between not getting this chapter to go how I wanted it to go, to a few family issues writing hasn't been on the top burner of things to do.

~xXx~

"Who's that?" Hadrian whispered as he followed his age mates into the training salle for saber practice with Master Yoda. Obi-Wan glanced over at the dark skinned Jedi standing next to Master Yoda, turning back to his friend he shrugged. But Hadrian wasn't paying attention, his eyes drawn on the man. He somehow knew this man though he'd never seen the other Jedi around before today. Following Obi-Wan to their normal spots in the class, the two boys stood quietly as they waited for Yoda to call the class to order.

"Gather around Younglings." Master Yoda called as he dimmed the lights in the room. Watching as the class did as instructed Master Yoda leaned forward on his grimmer stick, his black eyes twinkled as he studied the children around him. "We have a guest today. Welcome Knight Windu."

"Good afternoon Knight Windu." the children chirped as the stood before their elders, little bodies trying desperately to stay still while their minds whirled with the excitement of a guest instructor.

"Good afternoon." Mace greeted as he studied the young faces surrounding him. Glancing over he noticed a dark-haired boy standing beside a golden haired boy. The two from his vision, studying the darker child, Mace could sense no darkness in him, his forehead free of any scar from where the dark entity had been. Overall he was a standard Jedi youngling, now it was time to assess his worth, it was in these beginning classes where younglings began showing where their futures could lie, be it Sentinel, Consular, Guardian, or one of the corps.

"Here to assist us he is." Yoda told the class, watching the excitement pass over little faces before they returned to their spots in the class. Watching as the younglings began gathering their equipment and breaking off into pairs. Glancing over at Mace, Yoda watched the Knight as he maneuvered his way through the room, observing or instructing as he went. Most of the younglings faltered under the eyes of the last knight trained by Master Yoda, even at this age understanding the need to impress the knight with their saber skills. None knowing that he was only here to observe his little dark-haired youngling. Yoda could already see the bonds of Master and Padawan forming between Windu and Potter, it was just as strong now as it had been when Mace had gone to retrieve the child from the planet Earth. It would be an interesting pairing, the little trouble maker with the straight-laced follower of the code.

~xXx~

"What do you think?" Obi-Wan asked staring at Hadrian as the other boy floated calmly on his back in the lake level of the Temple.

"I think you should go for it, right now it's just flight sims but you enjoy that." Hadrian murmured as he floated past Obi-Wan. "Garen's been chirping about it like a Cairoka Bird."

"I don't think he'd forgive me if I encroached on his territory." Obi-Wan muttered as he dove under water, not sure if he wanted to hear Hadrian rant about how Garen wasn't the king of the hill and that the flight sims they were offering to the initiates were for all. The two were always completing with one another since they'd been placed in the same classes, a foolish move if there ever was one. While the two were friends outside of their studies, in class they were always competing with one another for the top position. Although now that they were getting to chose specialized classes they would probably only have the common core classes with one another. Coming to the surface, Obi-Wan glanced around seeing Hadrian floating in the center of the lake his eyes shut, apparently meditating or asleep, his friend was odd like that.

"Well, you might try it out and find out that it isn't for you, that's why they're letting us do this now. It'll let knights and masters know who to and who not to pick when the time comes. Seriously who wants to have a padawan or master who isn't interested in the same studied, that's a mess just waiting to happen." Hadrian spoke as he swam over to Obi-Wan, this lack of self-esteem his friend had in himself was horrid. He hated that he couldn't tell Obi-Wan that he saw great things in his future, that he'd be doing great things. Master Yoda warned that it could make another lack in humility which great Jedi needed, so he bolstered Obi-Wan where he could, toning down his strengths to appear on the same level. It would always leave his opponent doubting his abilities, which was always an advantage on the battle field. Studying his friend, Hadrian smirked before sending a wave of force empowered water at Obi-Wan starting a mini war in the center of the lake. They could always say they were practicing if they got in trouble.

~xXx~

Neither boy were aware that they were being watched at that moment, that in one of the meditation rooms above the lake, Knight Windu and Master Yoda were observing the boys. Both had shown advanced understanding of the saber arts though neither out did the other. In this they shown, both would be promising with the lightsaber when they were older. Even at this young age, both were already showing where their strengths lay in saber battle. Hadrian was calmer when it battle, letting his opponent make the first move while Obi-Wan charged quickly into battle both letting their strengths guide them into standstills. Such as their battle this morning both had locked hilts and had been unable to get the upper hand on one another, at this age they were still in the don't hurt my friend mindset, they couldn't see each other as the enemy.

"They will do great things." Mace spoke as he watched the two use their powers to manipulate the water of the lake as they waged war against one another. Both enjoying the time where they could just be children and not have to worry about the future.

"Hmm, strong together they are, weak apart." Yoda responded as he watched the pair with fondness. Every so often there was a youngling or two that he felt particularly fond of, and these two would be an assets in the future. One that was darkening quickly and slowly at the same time.


End file.
